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Would you pay a small price to learn?
- Thread starter theKeeper
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theKeeper
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Wow... guys this is a little unexpected. I thought everyone already knew about my HD crash from previous threads. Anywho... that's why this venture has been delayed somewhat. I apologize for that.
And i appreciate the added support from you guys. It really means a lot to me to see that people are actually enjoying and getting something from all this stuff. Makes it very worth the time to keep it up and running. Which i enjoy doing anyway. [honesty]
I'll be rethinking a few things concerning the membership/donation subjects. If anyone feels like it would be worth it, i suppose i could put one of the "PayPal Donation" buttons on the site. I've seen them around but i'm not completely hip to how that works. I'll look into it.
Thanks again folks, you're the best bunch of "e-friends" i've ever had the pleasure of knowing. And while you're at it, give yourselves a hand for making this community what it is today. :}
And i appreciate the added support from you guys. It really means a lot to me to see that people are actually enjoying and getting something from all this stuff. Makes it very worth the time to keep it up and running. Which i enjoy doing anyway. [honesty]
I'll be rethinking a few things concerning the membership/donation subjects. If anyone feels like it would be worth it, i suppose i could put one of the "PayPal Donation" buttons on the site. I've seen them around but i'm not completely hip to how that works. I'll look into it.
Thanks again folks, you're the best bunch of "e-friends" i've ever had the pleasure of knowing. And while you're at it, give yourselves a hand for making this community what it is today. :}
hey it's cool i think
but if you need help with the secure page. I may be able to help
I work in thawte ... we sell ssl certficate to secure internet transactions. So maybe I can help to set up the cert on your server ... I can't physically sit there though...I can only walk you though...
Lin
but if you need help with the secure page. I may be able to help
I work in thawte ... we sell ssl certficate to secure internet transactions. So maybe I can help to set up the cert on your server ... I can't physically sit there though...I can only walk you though...
Lin
Hi Mark,
I know you use Zazzle for your T's, have you looked into http://www.cafepress.com
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/cds.aspx
Might be an option to place all your tutorials on a disc? I'd buy one
Plus they handle all the producing/shipping and credit card processing.Or... http://www.payloadz.com/ requires the user to have a PayPal account
Or,
http://www.paymentonline.com/downlo...adable-application-programming-interface.html
Or,
LOL many options out there... pick one so we can start paying you for your hard work! Just some ideas if you haven't seen these places... take care, Hatch
If these chapters were totally comprehensive, then yes.
When I say totally comprehensive, I mean that they include all the steps used to recreate the sample graphic used in the tutorial. It's frustrating for noobs like myself to be tempted into a tutorial featuring a most splendid graphic, only to find that the tutorial covers only a portion of the effort needed to recreate the art in question.
Hope that helps.
theKeeper
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Most definately kenny, i agree. And if you've been through any of my tutes i think you'll see that i usually leave nothing to chance. Even my so called "experienced user" tutes have an abundance of instructions in them.
It's just the way i do things. I have a hard time skipping over details. Albeit i have do this on occassion for a few of the "Forum Tutorials" here in the Forum.
Thanks for the input.
It's just the way i do things. I have a hard time skipping over details. Albeit i have do this on occassion for a few of the "Forum Tutorials" here in the Forum.
Thanks for the input.
Hey Mark-
I read the first page on this topic, but wow...there's a ton of responses. What first interested me in your site was your own depth of knowledge and willingness to share. The forum has definetly followed your example. So to me it seems imperitive for the majority of info to remain free. But asking for compensation to offer in depth tuts and chapters of info (hey-maybe include some hi-res download samples and images to work with) is not out of line at all. Those that don't want to pay don't have to and with all the free, although less in depth info, they won't be scared away either. Anyway, I'm sure nobody on these boards would begrudge you a few bucks since you maintain and moderate such a huge site. Thanks for your hard work and good luck in generating the cash you need. 8))
As far as pricing. You may have more success if you provide a range of prices, offer package deals, have sales, etc. I'm surprised and pleased you haven't let advertisors cluttor your site. But, honestly, I don't know much about that and I'm sure you don't want to.
I read the first page on this topic, but wow...there's a ton of responses. What first interested me in your site was your own depth of knowledge and willingness to share. The forum has definetly followed your example. So to me it seems imperitive for the majority of info to remain free. But asking for compensation to offer in depth tuts and chapters of info (hey-maybe include some hi-res download samples and images to work with) is not out of line at all. Those that don't want to pay don't have to and with all the free, although less in depth info, they won't be scared away either. Anyway, I'm sure nobody on these boards would begrudge you a few bucks since you maintain and moderate such a huge site. Thanks for your hard work and good luck in generating the cash you need. 8))
As far as pricing. You may have more success if you provide a range of prices, offer package deals, have sales, etc. I'm surprised and pleased you haven't let advertisors cluttor your site. But, honestly, I don't know much about that and I'm sure you don't want to.
Also Mark I scanned another response and it sparked this idea. I onced worked a a designer for a e-learning group. They would professionally video business/gov./pharma. lectures and meetings and stream them along with a very functional interface powered by cold fusion...I think (digiscript.com). Another designer also developed the same interfaced based entirely on some pretty advanced flash codes after they assessed some of their most heated competition.
Among their worries was a program that recorded all your screen action and turned it into a flash doc or some other format that would play online. This wasn't such a big threat for the type of info that company covered, but it seems like a good fit for what you do. Maybe less time consuming and if I'm not mistaken Deke McKlellan(sp.?) uses something similar. I hope my suggestions aren't annoying or amatuerish. I only offer them because I hope you succeed with this modification to your site and because if every member here offers advice...well if two heads are better than one, you can just imagine what 100's of heads might come up with.
Among their worries was a program that recorded all your screen action and turned it into a flash doc or some other format that would play online. This wasn't such a big threat for the type of info that company covered, but it seems like a good fit for what you do. Maybe less time consuming and if I'm not mistaken Deke McKlellan(sp.?) uses something similar. I hope my suggestions aren't annoying or amatuerish. I only offer them because I hope you succeed with this modification to your site and because if every member here offers advice...well if two heads are better than one, you can just imagine what 100's of heads might come up with.
theKeeper
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Hey excellent thoughts meehoo, i appreciate and welcome each and every one i get on this subject.
At the present time i'm totally swamped with Website jobs (5 at the moment), and can't spare any brain cells for this topic. But it IS still a WIP. For sure. But i think now too that i may just try another angle. Like say, putting the entire Website on a CD and passing that out for cheap; like $10 or something. I would of course organize the material differently to be housed in some kind of interface and make it all more easily accessable. I wouldn't just dump the site "as-is" onto a CD, hahaa
. That would be gross! 
And of course, this is still... just another idea to play with.
I know that this topic appears to be dragging on for a lengthy period. But after my major HD crash i've had to divert my attention a little from this. Soon i'll get back on it... hopefully i'll catch some spare time between jobs in the near future.
At the present time i'm totally swamped with Website jobs (5 at the moment), and can't spare any brain cells for this topic. But it IS still a WIP. For sure. But i think now too that i may just try another angle. Like say, putting the entire Website on a CD and passing that out for cheap; like $10 or something. I would of course organize the material differently to be housed in some kind of interface and make it all more easily accessable. I wouldn't just dump the site "as-is" onto a CD, hahaa
. That would be gross! And of course, this is still... just another idea to play with.
I know that this topic appears to be dragging on for a lengthy period. But after my major HD crash i've had to divert my attention a little from this. Soon i'll get back on it... hopefully i'll catch some spare time between jobs in the near future.
I have only in the last few months found this site and gotten a lot of pleasure from/of it.
I've looked in many places, at a bunch of peoples writings on how to do most any thing, To often I've paid 30+ for an eBook and then paid another $25-$30 to print a copy [mainly because I really hate reading an epistle on a monitor].
At least in the book store I can get a copy and sit down and read enough to find out if this person and I connect. Yeah, so I read three or four chapters for free, is it possible that I learned so much I avoided buying the book? Possibly but; a book would be pretty useless if I could grasp it in a first reading of part of its chapters.
I guess that I would say, only for me, that I'd rather buy your book.
I've looked in many places, at a bunch of peoples writings on how to do most any thing, To often I've paid 30+ for an eBook and then paid another $25-$30 to print a copy [mainly because I really hate reading an epistle on a monitor].
At least in the book store I can get a copy and sit down and read enough to find out if this person and I connect. Yeah, so I read three or four chapters for free, is it possible that I learned so much I avoided buying the book? Possibly but; a book would be pretty useless if I could grasp it in a first reading of part of its chapters.
I guess that I would say, only for me, that I'd rather buy your book.
theKeeper
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Well thanks robt, i appreciate your perspective.
I agree too about scanning a couple chapters before buying a book. I'd never just look at the cover/author and flatout buy it. That wouldn't be smart.
My plan now, for those still wondering/curious/caring... is to focus in putting together a CD collection. All materials would of course be fully printable. The first CD will simply be a collection of all current material i have, put into PDF format and stuck into a nice GUI for easy access... plus, i'm adding 4-5 bonus tutes never published before. It's all original material. A lot of focus for these extra tutes will be in photo editing/manipulation.
I'm not gonna charge much at all for this first one. I'd like to use it as a test platform to see what the general interest level is for this sort of thing. I'm thinking 10-15 bucks probably. And a lot of that cost will be in the formatting/packaging. I'm not sure what to do as yet about shipping. Have to checkout what a CD would cost to send folks everywhere. But i'm also toying with the idea of making it avaliable for download too. Not sure yet.
I'll keep posting updates.
I agree too about scanning a couple chapters before buying a book. I'd never just look at the cover/author and flatout buy it. That wouldn't be smart.
My plan now, for those still wondering/curious/caring... is to focus in putting together a CD collection. All materials would of course be fully printable. The first CD will simply be a collection of all current material i have, put into PDF format and stuck into a nice GUI for easy access... plus, i'm adding 4-5 bonus tutes never published before. It's all original material. A lot of focus for these extra tutes will be in photo editing/manipulation.
I'm not gonna charge much at all for this first one. I'd like to use it as a test platform to see what the general interest level is for this sort of thing. I'm thinking 10-15 bucks probably. And a lot of that cost will be in the formatting/packaging. I'm not sure what to do as yet about shipping. Have to checkout what a CD would cost to send folks everywhere. But i'm also toying with the idea of making it avaliable for download too. Not sure yet.
I'll keep posting updates.
24,95 that's what I consider a reasonable price;theKeeper said:
a) cheap considering the work you've put in
b) it's still cheaper than what most others offer
c) it expresses a certain quality. I personally wouldn't bother with a $10 CD
It also has to do with how you believe in yourself. If you think you make good stuff, then you shouldn't be too moderate with the price, simple as that and 24,95 is something I personally consider not too high to test interest.
Just my $0,02 Mark.
theKeeper
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Oh ya forgot to mention those tutes too Pierre. Thanks for pointing that out. Those will also be added.
Thanks for the input Joe i appreciate it.
I'd tend to agree with the price issue except one thing... this will primarily be prewritten material... only 4-5 tutes will actually be new material. I didn't feel right asking people to pay $25 for something they can get for free off the site already. The idea behind this first CD is for those on dialup, those who have to pay by-the-minute for airtime, and those wishing to have a "hard copy" of the tutorials.
And as for it suggesting a certain quality... i think people know my quality by now. I've always believed that speaks for itself.
[OT] Which is one reason i don't agree with the Adobe certification process. I tend to see that as just a money making scheme, that people have been sucked into. [/OT]
I have no qualms about asking a bit more, i'm just not sure folks will agree with it.
The CDs following the first will be all new material and resource files, so i'll feel better about asking more for those ones.
That sound reasonable?
Thanks for the input Joe i appreciate it.
I'd tend to agree with the price issue except one thing... this will primarily be prewritten material... only 4-5 tutes will actually be new material. I didn't feel right asking people to pay $25 for something they can get for free off the site already. The idea behind this first CD is for those on dialup, those who have to pay by-the-minute for airtime, and those wishing to have a "hard copy" of the tutorials.
I think you would if you liked what you saw in the sample images of the contents. It's not like you'd buy it sight unseen, right?
And as for it suggesting a certain quality... i think people know my quality by now. I've always believed that speaks for itself.
[OT] Which is one reason i don't agree with the Adobe certification process. I tend to see that as just a money making scheme, that people have been sucked into. [/OT]
I have no qualms about asking a bit more, i'm just not sure folks will agree with it.
The CDs following the first will be all new material and resource files, so i'll feel better about asking more for those ones.
That sound reasonable?
Yes, that really makes sense.theKeeper said:
Oh, I see. Good idea, since for example 40% of the US is still on dialup.theKeeper said:
True, but I would wonder (and this is personal) when I would see high quality samples why this guy is asking only $10.theKeeper said:
Personally I think it's a good idea. After years of sharing knowledge for free it's more than normal to think about making some little money with it. This thought has crossed my mind too, but in my case I would focus purely on photography related tutorials. I visit a photography board since a few months and you'll be amazed how many people have a hard time to get things right like; red eye removal, color casts removal, cropping, resizing, color management, print, how to deal with contrast and brightness, removing noise, sharpening, perspective correction, retouching, color corrections, use of masks for selective corrections, B&W conversion methods, etc.
Btw, have you ever considered video CD's?
There are more and more people interested in this and with the right preparation you'll get more content in a shorter time, at least that's what I think. Once you have the software and know how to use it, it should take less time set up a tutorial that shows how to work with vectors than putting something together with screenshots and detailed text.
Just an idea, although I have to admit that it moves you away from your target; dialup users.
theKeeper
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That's a valid observation. But that's something i have no control over, and not something i can use to justify sticking people for more money.
Actually the majority of users to the site are broadband; so the dialup thing is simply a gesture of good faith. But if i did do video tutes, they'd be offered on a CD also. Which would benefit those without broadband.
I've often thought about doing video tutes... only problem is... my tutorials are #1, usually quite long, and #2, usually written somewhat haphazardly. I don't often have any one specific set of steps to perform. But all that means is i'd have to setup a specific structure outline before recording. No big deal.
I do have some inexpensive recording software a client bought for me. I can't remember the name, and i haven't reInstalled it since my HDD crashed a short while back. I'm definately gonna think more about that option though. Apparently, video tutes are becoming fairly popular as of late. Can't hurt to check it out i suppose.
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